Surgery Day Reflections

Well its just about midnight & the day we were most ready to put behind us is, as they say, almost history.  Suze is resting in ICU as her father (Jim) & I maintain the "night watch" in the waiting area.  Institutional furniture is great for a couple of hours but lousy to sleep on.

I find it difficult to sleep as my mind races over the events of the day.  There is so much that was stored up in my heart!  I think the most meaningful were the faces in the waiting room, faces of friends old & recent, FMC collegues, family from near & far.

The Apostle Paul's candid affection for his friends in Philippi captures much of what I was experiencing throughout the day.

I thank my God every time I remember you...

Our Waiting Room Tribe: Katie, Mackenzie, Ben, Jim & Mim, Dawn, Jeana, Aunt Margaret, Kami, Bre, Scott & Tammy, Robin, Becky, Wayne, Kyle, Corinne, Kelly L., Becky, Steph, Karen & Chance, Jess, Pam, Laura, Jerry, Carolyn...God delivered joy through you which translated into strength for me & for our family!

The Parkview Medical Team:  Dr. Yohanda, Dr. Yurcannon (I just butchered his name), Steve (Suze's OR nurse - an FMC'er), Sheila (Suze's night ICU nurse - an FMC'er), Randy (Suze's day ICU nurse - not an FMC'er but a great guy!)


Prayer Warriors From Everywhere:  I know many of you but not all; but you know who you are & what you did!  Your prayers were not only heard but were answered many times over.


In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy...

This morning, as Suze was about to be rolled out to surgery, the OR nurse said, "God's got it!"  He was in church last Sunday when Suze preached about the omniscience of God.  Are you kidding me?  Jesus was in the OR & he wanted us to know it!

This afternoon, Kami (FMC intern) & Bre (Student Ministries staff) took Katie to lunch, offering her friendship, safety in sharing her fears & laughter at just the right time.  I watched Katie bounce back from fear to joy with these two dear people who loved my daughter well!

This evening, when I went home to change, grab a bite to eat & offer a little relief to Dot the Wonder Dog (tongue firmly in cheek), I found our house spic-&-span clean!  Joy, Amy & Pam (staff spouses) had slipped in while all of the hospital drama was happening to clean our house.  After this long day, it was an absolute joy to come home for a bit & bask in the home we love so much.  Just when I thought it was as good as it was going to get, it got a little better!

Tonight, as I was waiting to be buzzed back into the ICU, Sheila Harrigan walks around the corner.  Sheila is an FMC'er, the mom of Ben's friend & one of the most spiritually influential people in Katie's life.  Sheila is Suze's nurse in the night.  Now you're just showing off God!  This was one of the parts of this saga that most concerned Suze--waking up in the ICU alone & disoriented!  Even now, Sheila is God's "grace-&-peace-in-the-flesh" for Suze & I am so grateful!

Because of your partnership in the gospel...

I have been privileged to have a front-row seat in this concert performance of the Body of Christ.  The harmony of so many different players, the perfect timing of the Holy Spirit, the absolute wonder of Master conducting His symphony - I keep wanting to shout, "Encore, Encore!   I am truly humbled & in awe of the move of God today through you, His people. 

To God Be The Glory, Great Things He Has Done!